Question regarding relic moving forward.

[LunaFaye]

level 50 will be the starting level of both new jobs.

Something I would recommend if you have the correct item level on your bard, enter dun scaith because the weekly lockout on items have been removed, and while you might have to run it more then once (if you're not on a caster or mnk), it's pretty much free and less frustrating ilvl 260 loot. That would give you a good start with the new upcoming expansion, without having to stress about farming tomes and stacking up ilvl 270 gear (scripture). That would give you also the chance to maybe fully gear your brd if you still doing that (i was lazy and didn't check the lodestone), never know how the job changes might affect your current character, or maybe Sam/RDM didn't turn out as you wanted etc, at least you would have a Job to fall back on if it's geared. Or just cap the tomes at 2k, because you might need them later on to buy a weapon for the new job etc. But that's just my suggestion.

For level 50, just get some tomes and buy the ironwork sets and the upgrades that go with that, or if you're doing leveling roulette and end up in the HW dungeons, greed a couple of pieces that will hold you above water for the start of the expansion.